Device for locating index cards



Apri 29',r 19.24.Y 1,492,530

J. PAVELKA E-r AL DEVICE FOR LOCATING INDEX CARDS Jaim.

pri 29 1924. v 1,492,530

, J. PAVELKA ET AL DEVICE FOR LOCATING INDEX CARDS Filed May 22 1919 6 Sheets-Sheetv 2 BRS {l} n w Apri? 29, 1924.

J. PAVELKA ET AL DEVICE FOR` LOCATING' INDEX CARDS Filed May 22, i919 e sheetsfsneet s Ama 29, 1924. y 1,492,530

. J. PAVELKA ET DEVICE FOR LOCA`TING INDEX CRDS F11-ed May .22 1919 e sheets-sheet 4 Eil/Miara Josef/z Pavel/ J0 /z Hazen? K l,492,530 J. PAVELKA ET AL f DEVICE FOR LOCATING INDEX CARDS Filed may 22 y1919 e sheets-sheet 5 Ja\f N @Vf J. PAVELKA ET AL- DEVICE FOR LOCATING INDEX CARDS Ama .29 1924. 1,492,530

Filed May 22. 1919 e'sheets-sheet'' Fzj. f3.

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J #Il 7 Hlm L L L s L y 3 /J Inventors uos. Pavel/"m Ja. Fraze;

l Patented Apr. 29,l y

' UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH PAVELKA AND JOSEPH RAZER, F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

I J olsErH RAzEK, citizens of the United States,-

nEvIcE Fon Loca'rrNG INDEX -canins.

Application led May 22, 1919. Serial llo. 299,062.

Toall 'whom z't may concern Be it known that we, JOSEPH PAVELKA and residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices forliocatin Index Cards, -of which the following-is a ull, clear, and exact description, such as will venable others skilled in the art to which it ap ertains to make and use the same, reference ing had to the accompanying drawings, formmg part of this specification.

Our invention relates to a card-indexing system, i. e., a system in which cards having the desired information are arranged in predetermined order, such as numerical or alphabetical, and are contained in a suitable tray. 1

Heretofore, if a card having a certain` identification mark, such as a number, was desired, it was necessary to closely examine and handle a large proportion of cards. Such method is very slow and entails a great loss of time and causes deterioration of the sysiem on account of Wear and soiling of the cal* S.

The object of our invention is to provide a device cooperating with a card system, and provided with keys, the operation of which .will quickly'and eiiiciently produce a card whose identification mark corresponds to the key or keys operated. Furthermore, our device does not employ any operating or restoring handles or motors, as it automatically resets or clears itself after each operation, and which operation depends solely upon the manipulation of the keys.

Another object of our'invention is to provide a device which is actuated by electric magnets, and whose electric circuits are controlled by its keys.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device having comparatively few parts and which is economical to manufac ture and is positive in operation.

Other objects Will be pointed out in the specification and drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan'view partially in section of our device.

Figure 2 is a side elevation-of our device.

, Figure 3 is a vertical cross section through` the housing of the device and the unit keys.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross section through the housing of the device and the tens keys. Figure 5 is a vertical cross section through the housing of the device and the hundreds ke s.

line 10-10 of Figure 1.

`Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view of certaln parts of our device and illustrating the 4igure `6 is a longitudinal cross section l means utilized for selecting and ejecting. the

desired card from its file.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view of electric circuits and contacts employed in our device.

lI*`igure 13 is a top plan View of a tray partly filled with indexv cards and showing the location of theslot through which the card-engaging means operate.

Figure 14 is a vertical cross-section through our device with the card tray in position thereon.

Figurev 15 is a perspective detail view of the longitudinal member designed to carry the card-engagin means.

Our device as lllustrated in the drawings and described in the specification is designed to operate in conjunction with card systems having trays with one thousand cards in each tray, the first tray containing cards from 0 to 999, and the second tray where more than one thousand cards are used, containing cards from 1000 to 1999; the third tray beginning lWith 2000 and so on, and each tray being marked accordingly.

When more than one tray is used, the device is moved to the tray Whose mark corresponds with the number on the card', or a separate device for each tray can be used, if desired.

The bottom of the tray is provided with a slot through which 'vertically disposed` the platform and sa-id movable member occupying a position below and parallel with the slot formed in the card tray T. Vertically movable plates are` carried in .the slots formed in the movable member 13 and intersect it at right angles so that the upper edge of each plate is parallel with the lower edges of index cards. The plates 15, of which there are one hundred in all, are equidistant from each other and the distance between any two adjacent plates is equal to the thickness of ten index cards and the thickness of each plate is equal to the v thickness of one index card. The movable member 13 carrying plates 15 is adapted to be moved forward by means of a horizontal arm 16 pivoted to platform 12 and one end of which 'arm engages the rear end of the movable member 13 while the other end is provided with an armature 17 which is adapted to be attracted by an electro-niagnet 18 and to move the movable member 13 forward. The circuit of the electro-magnet 18 is controlled by vthe unit keys. The spring 19 returns the movable member 13 and spring 19a returns arm 16 to their home positions.

rlhe extent of the forward movement of the movable. member 13 is controlled by bar 20 slidable in its bearings 21 and transversely mounted in the housing 11. This slidable bar 20 is so positioned in the housing that one end 2()a of said ba-r intersects the longitudinal axis of a pin orshoulder 13a carried by the forward end of said movable member. The inner side of the end 2O of bar 20, i. e., the side facing the pin 13B is provided with shoulders or steps, each shoulder being of the thickness of an index card and thus presenting a stopin the path of the forward movement of the bar 13 of various depths. There are ten shoulders marked from 0 to 9. Y

The opposite end of thebar 20 has a pin which occupies a curved slot formed in the free end of a pivoted arm 22 which lies parallel with and immediately below the row of unit keys and is held in its normal position by means of a spring 23.

The unit keys 24 located in housing 11 are held in their elevated positions by means of compression springs 25, the lower ends of which rest on a part of the housing, while the upper ends bear against a pin or lug 24E on the shanks of the unit keys. When any one of the unit keys, except the zero key, is depressed, .the lower end of the Fshank of the key will strike the pivoted bar raaaeao 22, forcing its slotted or free end downwardly, thereby moving the slidable bar 2O forwardly a predetermined distance. The arrangement of various parts just described is lsuch that the depression of a certain key will permit the movable member 13 to move forward a predetermined distance.

The operation of zero key will not operate the slidable bar 20 and the movable member 13 will be permitted to travel full distance, bringing the first plate 15 under the first index card in the tray, which card is blank lor is lmarked azero card. Each plate 15 is designed to control a series of ten cards, the location of the plate 15 un der any one card of its series being determined by the depression of a corresponding unit key.

Contacts 26 which are normally opened are interposed in the circuit 27 connecting electro-magnets 18 with the feed lines and are so located in the housing 11 that they lie in the path of the downward movement of pins 24a carried by unit keys 24 and the depression of any unit key will bring its corresponding pin 24a downwardly to bear o n and close the contacts 26, thereby completing the circuit 27 and energizing electro-magnetslS. (See Figs. 3, 9 and 12) Arms 28 are fulcrumed to vertical pins or studs 29 which are pivotally mounted in bearings 30 carried by platform 12. Arms 28 are therefore capable of vertical swinging movement on their own fulcrum and of a horizontal swinging movement by means of the vertical pins or studs 29 pivotally mounted in their bearings. One end of each arm 28 passes under the movable member 13 and has an upwardly projecting shoulder or lug 28a which normally is spaced away from the plates 15 and the movable member 13. When the arm 28 is actuated, the end provided with shoulder 28n will move upward and raise one of the plates 15 which enters the tray T through the slot and raises an index card with which said plate is in vertical alignment. The shoulders 28 are moved upwardly by energized electro-magnets 31 attracting armatures 28b carried by arms 28. The circuits 32 of electro-magnets 31 are controlled by the hundreds keys. A

The plates 15 are divided into ten series of ten plates each, and the arms 28 are arranged in such a way that each arm is capable of being positioned under any one of the plates of its own series.

Normally each arm 28 rests under the first plate of its series and remains in this position when only a unit key 1s operated, but

when a ten key is operated, arms 28 will i move under a corresponding plate. For example, the operation of the tens key No. 1 will move each arm one space rearwardly under the second plate of its series: The

operation of tens key No. 9 will move each ailm nine spaces rearwardly under the tenth ate. p ,The means for selectively positioning the arms 28 consists of a row of keys 33 located in the housing 11 and held in their normal position by means ofexpansion springs in similar manner as the unit keys. The shanks ofthe keys are designed to engage a transverse portion of a bail 34 which latter is pivoted to the sides of the housing and has a linger or projection 34a resting lon a bar 35, one end of which is pivotall connected to one side of the housing, whi e the opposite I end coo erates with a slotted arm 36. A

spring 3 connected to the housing and the bar 35 tends to maintain the bail 34 and bar 35 in their home positions. The slotted arm 36 is fixed to a disk 37 loosely mounted on forward bearing 14 and having teeth 37n which mesh with an idler pinion 38 loosely mountedin bearing 14. Idler 38 is also in mesh with. a rack 39 which is fixed to the forward end of a sliding plate 40 located in bearings 14. Plate 40 is parallel with vmovable member 13 and is rovided with vcrtical slots40 and occupying the slots are extreme ends of arms 28. Tension springs 41 are connected to the ends of arms 28 and to the sliding plate and assist the arms to maintain their proper position.

When a tens key isk depressed' the lower.

the arms 28 will swingIl on pivotal supports 29 and thus bring eac .shoulder 28a under any one plate 15 of its series. The transverse portion of bail 34 is set at an angle with respect to the ends 4of* the Shanks of the Akeys 33 so that the depression of the tensfkey will move plate 40 a corresponding distance reari w'ardly, moving the shoulder 28a under a reing plate 42 1s provided with -notches whichdetermined late. Shoulder 28a is locke in its4 position y a, locking plate 42 carried by armature 64 which is pivotally mounted in housing 11 by means of a screw 64". Lockengage the free end of bar 35 and lock it and parts connected therewith in their moved ositions. The spiral 'spring 43 is connectedp at one end to disk 37 and the other end to the stationary stud -or bearing on .which'this ld isk is mounted, so that the rotary motion of said disk willstore energ in the spring causing it to restore disk 3 and parts conl nected therewith to their normal when the locking plate 42 isrelease positions Y The hundreds lkeys 44 located in housing 1l are held in .their normal or raised position by means of expansion sprin s. S-lidi ably supported in the housing 11 an parallel r with the row of hundreds keys is a latch plate 45 having fingers 45 projecting rearwardl from the plate and bearing against the shan of each key. A tension spring 46 connected to the housing and the latch p ate maintains the plate in its home position. The shanks of the hundreds keys 44 are Vprovided with shoulders 44a havin downwardly inclined cam faces and norma ly occup ing a position above the latch 47 normally he d open are located in the housing below and on the vertical axis of the shank of each hundreds key. lVhen a hundreds ke is depressed, the inclined face of the shou der 44 will, engage the finger 45a and move the latch plate against the force of plate. The e ectric contactsthe spring 46 and at the same time the shank of the key will engage and close electric contactsl 47. The downward movement of the key will move the shoulder 44a out of the path of the fingerv 45a and permit the latch plate 45 to move to its 'home position,l therey locking the key in its depressed position and maintaining the electric contacts closed.

i Contacts 47 are interposed in circuits 48- which connect all. electro-magnets 41 except electro-magnet 31 with electro-magnet 49.

Electro-magnets 31 are connected to one of the feed lines by wires 50 and electro-magnet 49 is connected to the other of the feed lines through circuit 51. A contact 52, normally held open but adapted to be closed by the forward movement of member 13, is interposed in circuit 51 so that the energization of electro-magnet 49 and electro-magnets 31 can not be accomplished until one of said contacts 47 is closed by the operation of the hundreds key and contact 52 is closed by the forward movement of member 13. Electromagnet 31 is connected to one of the feed lines by wire 53 and to contact 52 through circuit 54. Interposed in circuit 54 is a conl tact 55l normally closed and adapted toy be opened tobreak circuit 54 by the energized electro-magnet 49. A resistance .coil 56 whose resistance 1s greater than the resistance of the electro-magnet 49 is interposed in circuit 54 so that when contact 52 and one of contacts 47 are closed, the current will energize a corresponding electro-magnet 31 vand electro-magnet 49, but if contact 52 is closed whilecontacts 47 remain open, the current will energize electrosmagnet 31. Electromagnet 57 is located in housing 11 and connected to onc'of the feed lines by connection 58; wire 59 connects electro-magnet 57 with contact 60 normally held closed by arm 16.

Thefcontact 61 normally held open by the rear end of member 13 is connected to con- 'tact 60 by wire 62 and tothe other one of the feed lines by wire 63. These connec tions and contacts fom a complete circuit broken by the rear end of movable member 13 holding contact 61 open. Locking plate 42 is carried by armature 64 pivotally mounted in housing 11 and designed to be attracted by energized electro-magnet 57; armature 64 has an arm 64a bearing against the downward portion b of latch plate 45. The attraction of armature 64 by energized electro-magnet 57 will move the rocking plate 42 away from arm 35 permitting it to return to its normal position and will cause arm 64a to move latch plate 45 against the force of spring 46, moving fingers 45a away from shoulders 44n of keys 44, releasing the depressed hundreds key and opening closed contact 47. Pivotally mounted on the rear of bearing 14 is an arm 65 whose free end ies in the path of travel of pin 13h yieldingly Vcarried by the rear end of member 13 and having a beveled portion which causes the pin to yield under forward movement of member 13 and a straight portion which strikes the arm 65 upon the return movcnent of member 13, thereby preventing member 13 from completing its rearward movement and opening cont-act 61 until the forward movement of plate 40 brings the raised portion 40b under arm 65 and raises it away from pin 13". Arm 65 is held in its position by spring 66. While member 13 is being detained in its return movement, arm 16 finishes its return movement and closes contact 60. The closing of contact while contacts 61 are closed completes the` circuit and electro-magnet 57 is energized, attracts armature 64 and releases arm 35 and key 44 from their locked position. The movement of arm 16 while member 13 is detained is accomplished by elongating the opening `13 where arm 16 engages member 13 so as to give play to arm 16. The purpose of arm and yielding pin 13b is to detain member 13 in its return movement a sufiicient period of time to permit arm 16 to close contact 60 while contacts 61 are closed and so ener? gize electro-magnet 57.

In the operation of our device, assuming that index card No. 235 is desired. The operator first presses the hundreds key No. 2

. which closes its contacts 47 and is locked by latch plate 45. The closing of contactsl 47 will complete the circuit of its corresponding electro-magnet 31, but the electro-magnet 1s not energized as contact 52 is still open. `When the operator presses the tens key No. 3, the bail 34 is rocked on its pivots forcing the other end of arm 35 downwardly until arm 35 engages the'third notch of the locking plate 42. The slotted arm 36 is moved downwardly a corresponding distance rotating disk' 37 and idler 38 and moving the rack 39 and the sliding platev 40 rearwardly until shoulders 28a occupy positions under the f ourth plate of their series. Contact 52 is still open. When the units key No. 5 is amaca@ pressed the slotted arm 22 is moved downwardly a predetermined distance forcing bar 20 to slide towards the side occupied b movable member 13, and bringing shoul er No. 5 into the path of pin 13a. Just before completion of the downward stroke of the units rey No. 5, contacts 26 are closed permitting electric currents to iiow through circuit 27 and energize electro-magnet 18. The energized electro-magnet will attract armature 17 carried by arm 16 causing said arm to swin on its pivot and move the movable mem'er 13 forward until pin 13 is stopped by shoulder 5 on bar 20. This will position the fourth plate of the third series under a card (No. 235). The shoulders 28a are of sufficient width to permit this movement of the plates and still retain said plates in the path of the upward movement of shoulders 28?'. When the units key is operated the forward movement of member 13 closes contact 52 energizing electro-magnets 49 and 31. The energization of electro-magnet 31 will attract armature on arm 28, raising the shoulder 28 which will move the u per portion of plate 15 into the tray, disp acing index card No. 235.

As soon as the units key is released, contact 26 will be opened deenergizing electromagnet 18 and causing member 13 to move rearwardly opening contact 52 and deenergizing electro-magnets 49 and 31. Thereturn movement of arm 16 will be slightly in advance of member 13, and will close contact 60, while contacts 61 are closed, energizing magnet 57 which in turn will release arm 35 and depressed key 44. The weight of arm 28 will return it to its normal position as soon as electro-magnet 31 is deenergized, and plate 15 will be assisted to return to its normal position b springs 67 connected to the bearings 14 and to rod 68, which rod occupies vertical slots in said plates 15. Thus, it will be seen that in the operation of our device it is only required to operate the keys and the releasing of the units keys, which are not locked in their depressed position, and are released as soon as the operator removes his fingers from the de ressed key, will automatically 'reset the evce for the next operation.

The depression of zero key alone will close contacts 26 and 52, energizing electro-magnets 18 and 31B. The first cardin each tray marked #0 in a tray containing cards from No. 1 to 999, and marked No. 1000 in a tray containing cards from 1000 to 1999, will be`displaced by the zero key.

To find card No. 100, hundreds key No. 1 is depressed, closing contacts 47. The zero key is now depressed, which will close contacts 26 and 52 and energize electromagnets 18 and, 49 and one of the electro-magnets 31, contact.` 55 is opened and electro-magnet 31 means of tem, as it' does not re uirethe cards to bek specially marked or s` aped or of special slze.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of our improved de vice for locating index cards maybe made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of our invention, and We do not wish to be limited to the specific construction described.

What we claim is:

1. The combination with a tray having a slotted bottom and a series of cards supported therein, of movably mounted cardengaging members, keys, electro -magnets controlled by said keys, and means adapted to be actuatedby said electro-magnets for actuating said card-engaging members.

2. The combination with a tray having a slotted bottom and a series of cards supported therein, of movably mounted cardengaging members, keys, electro-magnets controlled by, said keys for actuating said movable members and means for selectively positioning said movable members.

3. The combination with a tray having a slotted bottom and a `series of cards supported therein, of movably mounted cardengaging members, keys, electro-magnetsv controlled by said keys, arms ada ted to be actuated by said electro-magnets or operating said card-engaging members, and means for selectively positioning said arms with respect to sald card-engaging members.

4. In a device of the class described, keys, a lon 'tudinally' movable member, plates carrie by said longitudinally movable member, electro-magnets controlled by said keys and adapted to move said plates in vertical v plane, and mea-ns for actuating said longitudinally movable member.

5. In a device of the class described, keys,`

a longitudinally movable member, an electromagnet adapted to actuate the latter and controlled bysaid keys, platescarried by said movable mem er, electro-magnets adapted to move said plates in a -vertical lane and controllf-.l by said movable memer.v

6. In a device of the class described, keys, a longitudinally movable member, means adapted to move Vforward said ,longitudinal` ly `movable member, a bar actuated by said keys and designed to limit the forward movement of said movable member, plates carried-by the movable member,` and electromagnets adapted to move said plates in a vertical plane.

7 In a device of the class described, keys, a longitudinally movableI member, an electro-magnet controlled by said keys and adapted to actuate said movable member, plates carried by the latter, electric contacts, electro-magnets controlled by said contacts and adapted to move said plates in a vertical plane, and means for opening and closing said electric contacts.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination With la card-supporting structure and cards supported thereby, of keys, movable card engaging plates, electro-rcsponsive means operated by said keys for actuating said plates, including electric contacts controlling said electro-responsive means, and means for locking said contacts in operative positions.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a card-supporting means and cards arranged therein, of keys, movable card engaging plates, electro-responsive means operated by said keys for actuating said plates, including electric contacts controlling said electro-responsive means, means for locking said contacts in closed positions,V

and designed to raise them, electro-magnets adapted to actuate said arms, means for locking said arms in their selected positions, and an electro-magnet adapted to release said lockin means.

11. In a evice of the class described, keys, a movable member, plates carried by the lat-- ter and adapted to be moved in a vertical plane, an electro-magnet controlled by said eysv and adapted to actuate said movable member, and means designed to retard the return movement of'said movable member. A

a eating and displacing said cards, keys, electro-magnets adapted to actuate said means, and electric circuits for said electro-magnets and controlled by said keys.

14. In a device of the class described, keys, a longitudinally movable member, an electromagnet controlled by certain ofl said keys for actuating said movable'member, plates carried by the latter, arms adapted to be selectively positioned under said plates, means for selectively actuating certain of said arms' whereby the latter causes certain of said plates to move into an engaging position,

Vcard-engaging members carried by said longitudinally movable member.

- 16. Ina device of the class described, keys, a longitudinally movable member, a slidable bar having a multiple shouldered end adapted to be moved into the path of said longis tudinal member by certain of said keys,

lcard-engf'gaging members carried by said longitudinal member, and electro-responsive means controlled by certain others of said keys and adapted to aetuate said card-engaging members.

17. In a device .of the class described, keys, a longitudinally movable member, a slidable bar having'a multiple shouldered end adapted to be moved in the path of said longitudinal member by said keys, card-engaging Leeaeee members carried by said longitudinal member, and electro-responsive means controlled by said keys and adapted to actuate said longitudinal member.

18. ln a device of the class described, keys, a longitudinally movable member, card-engaging members carried by the latter, means arranged to actuate said card-engaging members and adapted to be selectively positioned by certain of said keys, and electro-responsive means controlled by certain others of said keys and adapted`to actuate said means.

19. In a device of the class described, keys,

a longitudinally movable member, card-en gaging members mounted therein, means adapted to control the forward movement of saidlongitudinal member, means arranged to move said card-engaging members in vertical plane, and electro-responsive means controlled by said keys and adapted to actuate the last-mentioned means.

20. In a device of the class described, keys, card-engaging members, means arranged to move said card-engaging members in vertical plane, and electro-magnets controlled by said keys and adapted to actuate said means.

ln testimony Whereoin We hereunto aliix our signatures this 14th day of May, 1919.

JOSEPH PAVELKA. JOSEPH RAZEK. 

